The Ministry of Cooperation has formally launched Bharat Taxi, a cooperative mobility service, in five cities across Uttar Pradesh. The service began operations in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur and Prayagraj on 23 September 2026. Bharat Taxi operates on a cooperative model where drivers, called Saarthis, are owners and stakeholders rather than mere service providers working under an aggregator company.
Key facts
- Launch date: 23 September 2026
- Cities in Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur, Prayagraj
- Total Saarthis enrolled nationally: Over 10 lakh (10 million)
- Saarthis registered in the five new UP cities: Around 40,000
- Daily rides being completed: Around 20,000
- Total passengers enrolled: Around 40 lakh (4 million)
- Money credited to Saarthis’ accounts in six months: Over Rs 100 crore
- Operating cities nationally: Delhi, Gujarat, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chandigarh
- Ministry of Cooperation initiatives launched in last five years: Over 160
- PACS computerisation underway: Around 80,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies at a cost of approximately Rs 3,000 crore
- New cooperative members in Uttar Pradesh: Around 54 lakh (5.4 million)
What is Bharat Taxi?
Bharat Taxi is a cooperative-based taxi service that launched nationally in February 2026. Unlike conventional taxi aggregator apps where drivers pay a commission on their earnings, Bharat Taxi is structured so that drivers own and control the service collectively. Drivers are called Saarthis, a Hindi word meaning companions or fellow travellers. The service is based on the principle “Driver is the Owner,” meaning Saarthis are not merely employees but stakeholders with ownership rights in the cooperative.
Under this model, money earned from rides goes directly into Saarthis’ accounts without deductions for commissions. Drivers also have a say in how the service is run through cooperative decision-making processes. This differs fundamentally from private taxi aggregator models where drivers work as independent contractors and surrender a percentage of fares.
How the cooperative model works
Bharat Taxi operates as a cooperative society, an association owned and managed by its members for their mutual benefit. By registering as a Saarthi, drivers become members of the cooperative with voting rights and a share in ownership. The cooperative structure means earnings remain within the system and benefit the drivers directly rather than enriching external investors or shareholders.
Passengers can book rides through the Bharat Taxi service, and the earnings from each ride are credited directly to the driver’s bank account. Since the service began six months ago in February 2026, over Rs 100 crore has been paid to Saarthis across the country. The service currently operates in six major cities nationally, and with the expansion to Uttar Pradesh, it now covers five additional urban centres.
Why Uttar Pradesh matters for this launch
Uttar Pradesh has a long tradition of cooperative movement. The state currently has around 42,000 cooperative societies functioning across it. The government has made 2025 a ‘Sahkarita Mahakumbh’ year to expand the cooperative movement to villages statewide. Additionally, the state successfully enrolled over 54 lakh new members in Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, including approximately 17.5 lakh farmers, in a membership campaign recognised as a model for other states.
The state has also been advancing cooperative infrastructure. Around 6,300 PACS are being computerised across three phases. Approximately 750 agricultural and rural cooperative bank units are also undergoing computerisation. Since April 2026, over 1,200 new cooperative societies for multi-purpose services, dairy and fisheries have been formed, adding around one lakh new members.
Connection to the Ministry’s larger vision
Bharat Taxi reflects the Ministry of Cooperation’s broader strategy to modernise India’s cooperative sector under the vision of ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’ (prosperity through cooperation). The Ministry, established as a separate entity in July 2021, has launched over 160 new initiatives in five years to strengthen cooperatives across 30 different sectors.
Beyond traditional areas like agriculture and dairy, cooperatives are now expanding into new domains including mobility, organic products, seeds, healthcare and exports. The National Cooperative Development Corporation has increased its financial assistance to the sector from Rs 45,000 crore over 51 years (1963 to 2014) to Rs 4.5 lakh crore in just the last 12 years, demonstrating the government’s commitment to cooperative expansion.
What this means for you
If you are a taxi driver or vehicle owner in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur or Prayagraj, you can now register as a Bharat Taxi Saarthi and benefit from the cooperative ownership model. You will receive earnings directly without paying commissions to a private company and will have a voice in how the service operates.
If you are a passenger, Bharat Taxi offers an alternative to existing taxi services, with the knowledge that money spent supports a driver-owned cooperative rather than external investors.
The launch also signals that cooperative services are becoming available in more sectors and cities across India, potentially expanding consumer and worker choices beyond traditional aggregator models.